Which of the following would be considered an adverse event during electrotherapy?

• A. Severe skin redness or burns
• B. Slight tingling that disappears after a minute
• C. Normal warmth
• D. Mild fatigue after therapy

Answer: (A)

Recognizing adverse events during electrotherapy involves identifying tissue injury from the electrical stimulus. Severe skin redness or burns are a sign of actual tissue damage, often caused by excessive current density, too-long stimulation, poor electrode contact, or movement that creates friction. This requires stopping the treatment immediately, inspecting the skin, and adjusting or stopping the parameters before resuming, with careful monitoring for progression of injury. The other responses—slight tingling that resolves quickly, normal warmth, and mild fatigue after therapy—are typical, expected sensations or transient effects and do not indicate an adverse event if they are mild and short-lived.